Rotary engine and pump



Feb. 8, 1944. F. M. NORDLING ROTARY ENGINE AND PUMP Filed June 21, 1943 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .K a. o w. H; a W a 1 M. r y, a, a ,7 w J J F i W a m w. m 5 k I m fiafimkfiw 6 v w. H x mm 1 f 373 222 1 mm i. a u 9 Za z H a v Feb. 8, 1944. F. M NORDLING ROTARY ENGINE AND PUMP Filed June 21, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 8, 1944 UNITED STATES PAT ENT' OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a rotary engine or pump. The device is so constructed that if furnished with an outside source of pressure, it will operate an engine, and if driven from an outside source of power, it will operate as a pump or compressor. Rotary engines and pumps have been heretofore provided with eccentrically rotating impellers operated against a vane or piston to divide the space produced by the eccentricity into variable pressure and exhaust compartments. Devices of this type have not been satisfactory for many reasons. The excessive wear between the rotary element and the piston andbetween the rotary element and the inner wall of the housing makes it exceedingly hard to maintain a seal for any length of time. In most devices of this type, the piston or dividing partition is maintained against the rotor by means of springs. If these springs are exceedingly stifi, they create excessive wear between the rotary element and the piston. If light weight springs are used, the seal between the piston and the rotary element will be uncertain due to varying pressures and varying speeds.

The principal object of this invention is, to overcome all of the above objections in an eccentric rotary engine, and provide a device of this character in which friction both between the rotary element and the housing and between the rotary element and the separating piston will be substantially eliminated and in which the piston will be maintained uniformly against the rotary element without the use of spring elements.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efliciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawings and throughout the description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the improved engine or pump illustrating a control valve applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view thereoLtaken on the line 3-3, Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the sealing and piston supporting rings employed in the improved engine,

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the piston block.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the rocking sealing bar.

Figs. 7 and 8 are cross sectional Views taken on the line 1-1, of' Fig. 1, illustrating the appearance of the housing and rotor, with one cover plate of the former removed, at two difierent positions of the latter;

Figs. 9 and 10 are cross sectional views taken on the line 99, Fig. 1, illustrating two successive positions of the internal mechanism.

While the device is useful both as a motor and as a pump or compressor, it will be herein described as a motor- The improved motor comprises a cylindrical housing which, in a two cylinder motor is counter-bored at both faces to provide two concentric power cylinders 12.

The housing II issupported upon a suitable base 52. The outer face of each power cylinder is closed by means of a face plate l3 which are secured in place by means of tie-bolts M. The space in the housing about the power cylinders is occupied by a water jacket l5 and the face plates l3 also contain water jackets l6 which communicate with the housing jackets l5. Water is supplied through ports 38 in the face plates.

A power shaft I1 passes axially through both cylinders and is supported in suitable ball bearings la in the face plates. The bearings are of a type to support against both. radial and axial thrusts. A circular cam member I 9 is eccentrically mounted on' the power shaft l7 within each of the power cylinders, the cam member in one cylinder being ofiset from the cam member in the other cylinder. i i

The shaftbore in the cam members I!) is elongated as shown at 20, to allow the eccentricity of the cam member to be adjusted. This adjustment can be accomplished by means of shims inserted alongside the shaft in the bore. It is preferred, however, to employ oppositely acting set screws 2| which serve both to regulate and lock the eccentricity and also to key the member to the shaft.

An annular ball bearing 22 surrounds each cam member 19, and an annular piston roller 23 surrounds each ball bearing. The eccentricity of the cam members is such as to maintain the piston rollers 23 tightly against the inner surface of the power cylinders I 2 at one side thereof. As the shaft I! rotates, the piston rollers 23 roll around the inner circumferences of the cylinders without friction there-against. v

A partition block 24 is vertically slidab-le in receivinggrooves 25 in the'base of each power cylinder. These blocks extend parallel to the axis of the shaft l I. Each partition block 24 carries a semi-cylindrical sealing bar 26 resting in a semicylindrical socket along the top thereof. The opposite sides of the bars 26 are concave and rest against the outer periphery of the piston rollers 23. The partition blocks divide the open spaces between the members 23 and cylinder walls into exhaust chambers 21 and pressure chambers 28.

The blocks 24 are constantly held against the bar 26 and the latter is constantly held against the member 23, by means of combined supporting and sealing rings 29, one of which is rotatably imbedded in each face of each piston roller 23. Each of the supporting rings is provided with a bracket 30 which extends into suitable sockets in upwardly turned extremities on theblocks 24. The brackets are hingedly locked in their sockets by means of hinge pins 3|, the axis of these hinge pins is in exact alignment with the periphery of the piston roller 23. Vertical guide channels 3'! are formed in each face plate and in the wall of the housing dividing the two cyl inders to guide the upwardly. turned extremities of the partition blocks and, seal them against leakage.

As the shaft l'l rotates the eccentricity of the rotor causes the partition blocks 24 to alternately rise and fall in their receiving grooves. A

transfer port 32 communicates between the grooves to allow the air compressed in one to escape to the partial vacuum of the other during operation.

Air intake passage 34 and an exhaust passage 33 extend along'opposite sides of the partition blocks in the base of the housing.

The exhaust chamber 21 and the pressure chamber 28 of each cylinder communicates with the passages 33 and 34, respectively, through ports 35 and 36, respectively.

It can be readily seen that, when fluid under pressure is admitted to the intake passage 34, it will flow through the ports 36 and create a pressure in the pressure chambers of both cylinders. This pressure will force the entire eccentric rotor assembly counter-clockwise, as indicated in Figs. 9 and 10. The fluid from the exhaust chambers 2'! will be discharged by the rolling movement of the piston roller through the exhaust ports 35 and exhaust passage 33. After the points of contact between the rollers and the walls has rolled past the blocks 24, new intake chambers are formed and the process is continuously repeated.

It is desired to call attention to the fact that the piston roller 23 may be pressed as tightly as desired against the housing, so as to seal all communication between the chambers 21 and 28, withoutany damaging friction with the housing, since the only contact therewith is a rolling one. It will be noted that the sealing bar 26 tilts back and forth in its socket in the partition block 24 as the eccentricity of the rotating elements causes them to move from side to side. This rocking efiect maintains a tight and uniform seal at the block 24 at all times. It is also desired to call attention to the fact that the piston roller 23 does not movepast the sealing bar 26 at the peripheral speed of rotation of the shaft ll. In fact, there is very little relative movement between the members 23 and l I. At each revolution of the shaft, the members 23 move forwardly only the difference between their circumferences and thejinner circumferences of the cylinders l2. Therefore there is very little frictional wear at two.

this point. Spacing rings 39 are positioned at each side of the annular bearing 22 to maintain it central. These rings also serve as sealing rings to prevent leakage to the shaft.

Lubrication may be provided in any desired manner, such as through oil passages 40 in the shaft communicating with an oil intake hole 4| in one face plate.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a control and reversing valve is illustratedcomprisinga valve plug 42 having crossed ports 43 at diifering elevations. The valve plug is rotatably mounted in a valve housing 44 which is bolted to one of the engine end plates over the extremities of the two passages 33 and 34. The latter passages communicate with vertical chambers 45 in the housing 44 alongside of the valve plug 42. At the other side of the plug an upper chamber 46 communicates with the upper valve port and a lower chamber 41 communicates with the lower valve port. The latter two chambers are provided with internally threaded nipples for receiving a pressure pipe 48 and an exhaust pipe 49. A stem on the valve plug-extends upwardly through a cap plate 50 terminating in an operating handle 5!. It can be readily seen that a quarter turn of the handle 5| will reverse the direction of flow of the incoming pressure fluid to the opposite sides of the partition blocks of the engine and similarly reverse the flow of the discharging fluid so that the direction of rotation of the engine will be reversed. An eighth turn of the handle 5| closes both valve ports and stops the engine.

While the engine illustrated is provided with two pressure or operating cylinders, more can be added as desired along the shaft, all controlled by the same valve. In fact, if preferred, only a single cylinder may be used and its width increased. to produce the necessary pressure area for the power desired. It will be noted that this engine has only one brief dead center in a revolution, whereas, the usual reciprocating engine has For some installations it may be desirable to have the housing rotate while the shaft remains motionless. The present engine can readily operate under such conditions by simply locking the shaft and allowing the housing to freely rotate thereabout. Under such conditions the intake and exhaust pipes would communicate with the cylinders through the shaft similarly to the oil passages 43, as illustrated.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A rotary motor comprising a cylindrical housing; a shaft extending axially through said housing; a circular cam eccentrically mounted on said shaft within said housing; an annular piston roller rotatably mounted and surrounding said cam and being in contact with the inner wall of said housing; a partition member slidable in a radial groove in the inner wall of said housing and contacting said piston roller; ports ex tending into said housing on opposite sides of said partition member; a supporting ring imbedded in each face of said roller; and means for supporting said partition member from said rings to maintain it in constant contact with said roller.

2. A rotary motor comprising a cylindrical housing; a shaft extending axially through said housing; a circular cam eccentrically mounted on porting said partition member from said rings to maintain it in constant contact with said; roller; and a sealing member mounted in said partition member, said sealing member being tiltable so as to follow the movements of the roller and remain in contact therewith.

3. A rotary motor comprising a cylindrical housing; a shaft extending axially through said housing; a circular cam eccentrically mounted on said shaft within said housing; an annular piston roller rotatably mounted and surrounding said cam and being in contact with the inner wall of said housing; a partition member slidable in a radial groove in the inner wall of said housing and contacting said piston roller; ports extending into said housing on opposite sides of said partition member; a supporting ring imbedded in each face of said roller; bearing ears projecting upwardly from said partition member; brackets projecting downwardly from said supporting rings; and hinge pins securing said brackets to said ears so that said partition member will be supported from said rings.

FRED M. NORDLING. 

